Whether you are for or against the various wars the UK has been dragged into over the past few years it is hard not to have respect for the soldiers out there fighting for what their government believes in, whether or not they themselves agree.
It is always a great photo opportunity for politicians or celebrities to go out to the war zone and be snapped with soldiers. It is generally billed as a morale boosting trip.
I can understand why visits from people like David Beckham or even, love her or hate her, Cheryl Cole, would boost morale. But David Cameron? Give me a break.
It is blatantly obvious that politicians ONLY go there for photo opportunities. I do not believe for one minute they really give that much of a damn about morale boosting. They make cuts to budgets, pay has been capped at 1% which is is, in real terms, a pay cut, the soldiers don't have the equipment they need. They are going to make cuts to the staff, are decommissioning ships. They are making cuts which military experts deem to be dangerous. Military experts. As opposed to government workers.
Noises are being made about more pointless wars to fight, and they are still making cuts.
So why on earth would a visit by the PM to the troops boost anything other than his own ego?
In fact I'd go so far as to say if I were a soldier my morale would be deflated by a visit from the PM. David Cameron has no idea how hard life is for the people stationed out there. Preaching about caring about what they are doing, yet stabbing them in the back with cuts, making their lives, in fact, even more difficult? Their lives and the families back home.
No, sorry Dave. If I were a soldier and it was announced that a surprise visit from a VIP was about to take place I'd hope and pray that it would be, well, pretty much anyone but someone in your unelected government. One of the princes. Any of the royals in fact. David Beckham. Yes, even a D lister than has been kicked out of Celebrity Stuck in the Jungle or whatever it is called. Anyone. It doesn't matter if it is a good PR trip for them, because morale would be boosted.
The man who seems to be actively working to make everyone's life apart from his own and his friends' that little bit harder?
No thanks. Stay at home Mr C. Send Cheryl Cole instead.
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